Digital Collection of Religions and Religious Holidays – Summary
As part of the Erasmus+ project “Getting to know European cultural values along religions”, the partner schools from Italy, Greece, Hungary, and Türkiye collaborated to create a digital book titled “Digital Collection of Religions and Religious Holidays”. The aim of this collection was to explore and share the religious diversity and cultural heritage of the participating countries by focusing on their most significant religious traditions and celebrations.
In Italy and Greece, where Christianity—especially Catholicism in Italy and Orthodox Christianity in Greece—is deeply rooted, the collection presented important holidays such as Christmas, Easter, and All Saints’ Day. The Greek contribution highlighted unique Orthodox customs such as the Holy Week, Epitaphios procession, and Greek Easter Sunday traditions, reflecting the spiritual life of the Greek Orthodox Church.
In Hungary, the focus was on Protestant traditions, especially those of the Reformed Church, which plays an important role in Hungarian religious life. Celebrations like Reformation Day, Christmas, and Easter were included, along with explanations of church customs and local observances specific to Hungarian communities.
Türkiye, as a secular country with a Muslim majority, contributed with detailed sections on Islamic religious holidays, including Ramadan (Ramazan), Eid al-Fitr (Ramazan Bayramı), and Eid al-Adha (Kurban Bayramı). These were enriched with descriptions of Turkish cultural practices such as family gatherings, charity, and traditional holiday foods.
The digital collection provided students with an engaging and respectful overview of how religious identity shapes daily life, celebrations, and national traditions in each country. Through this shared product, students not only deepened their knowledge of each other’s faiths and customs but also promoted tolerance, intercultural dialogue, and mutual understanding.